Government-run helpline asked to justify $50-a-call expense

A Government-run helpline has come under fire from a National Party MP who claims it is underutilised and costs taxpayers more than $50 a call.

The Citizens Advice Bureau has also slammed the service, saying it duplicates and cuts into services the bureau already offers.

Based on calls made to both organisations in the daytime yesterday, the bureau seems to have a point.

The Herald put the same three questions to the Government's 211 Helpline and the bureau's 0800 number, asking the first question at 11am, the second at 1pm and the third at 3pm.

In each case, the two helplines provided the same or similar information.

Both had similar response times and, despite subtle differences in individual calltakers, both were polite and helpful.

The 211 Helpline was set up as a pilot scheme in the Bay of Plenty last year, at a cost of $500,000.

National MP Judith Collins has said the helpline was answering an average of only 36 calls a day and the scheme could not be justified.

But the Ministry of Social Development is defending the helpline, saying it is a way to relieve pressure on emergency services by providing access to services dealing with issues including family violence, addiction, child behaviour, parenting and family support.

Bureau chief executive Kerry Dalton said the organisation wanted to work with the ministry to develop a complementary relationship rather than one of duplication.

The bureau received 600,000 inquiries a year, 60 per cent of which were over the phone, she said.

The ministry's deputy chief executive of family and community services, Richard Wood, said the Herald experiment might have had different results had the calls been made at other times of the day.

He said the 211 Helpline could provide help at some times when the bureau was not, operating seven days a week and running 13 hours a day.

The bureau helpline operates at the hours of local bureaux, usually 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and limited hours on Saturdays.

Mr Wood stressed that the intention of the 211 Helpline had never been to take over the role of the bureau or other helplines.

He said 211 was intended to provide easy access to information on services to discourage dependency on government agencies.

It viewed the bureau as a partner and had referred 400 calls to it since the helpline was launched in March last year.

CALLING FOR HELP

The Herald yesterday made calls to rival helplines operating in Tauranga. These were the responses:

* Question 1 (11AM)

I live at Mt Maunganui. Can you tell me where the nearest Women's Refuge is?

211: Call duration: 3 minutes, answered after two rings. Information supplied: Crisis line and office numbers for women's refuge in Tauranga after finding no listing for Mt Maunganui.

Calltaker's manner: Polite and friendly, ascertained that advice was adequate by asking, "Is Tauranga going to be close enough?"

CAB: Call duration: 2 minutes, answered after one ring.

Information supplied: Office number for women's refuge in Tauranga, after asking caller if it was a crisis and being told "no".

Calltaker's manner: Polite, but slightly abrupt, saying "It'll be Tauranga" in response to question and ending call without ascertaining if information was to caller's satisfaction.

* Question 2 (1PM)

I've got a good friend who I'm worried is using P. Can you give me advice?

211: Call duration: 10 minutes, answered after two rings.

Information supplied: Gave 0800 number for Narcotics Anonymous, crisis and office numbers for Community Alcohol and Drug Services [CADS] in Tauranga, and a number for Relationship Services in Tauranga.

Calltaker's manner: Helpful and concerned, apologetic about time it took to look through database. Finished by telling caller to call back if more help needed and wishing caller good luck.

CAB: Call duration: 8 minutes, answered after four rings.

Information supplied: Numbers for Drug Arm Education and another drug and alcohol service run by the Salvation Army in Tauranga.

Calltaker's manner: Helpful and concerned, suggested nine services, asking caller whether each one was appropriate and supplying the two numbers above based on caller's response. Finished by telling caller to call back if more help needed.

* Question 3 (3PM)

Are you able to help with disputes with neighbours? I'm unhappy about my neighbour parking on the grass verge outside my house.

211: Call duration: 1 minute, answered after five rings.

Information supplied: Numbers for community law centre and Citizens Advice Bureau in Tauranga.

Calltaker's manner: Polite and efficient, responded to caller's concern that the question might seem trivial with a reassuring "no, no", and quickly dispensed numbers.

CAB: Call duration: 11 minutes, answered after three rings.

Information supplied: 0800 number for Land Transport and number for Tauranga police.

Calltaker's manner: Polite and understanding of caller's plight, made several suggestions but some not practical/useful, including a suggestion that the caller lay blocks over the grass. At caller's request, offered caller an appointment with lawyer dispensing free legal advice at centre on Monday nights. Suggested calling Land Transport and the police as other ways of ascertaining legal rights.

Helplines

* Citizens Advice Bureau
0800 FOR CAB (367 222)
Help available Tauranga, 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. 10am to 12 noon on Saturday.

* 211 Helpline
Phone: 0800 211 211
8am to 9pm, 7 days a week